1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to athletic ball games and game courts for ball games, and particularly to games and game courts, such as basketball, in which points are scored by placing a ball in contact with, in, or through an elevated goal.
2. Description of Related Art
The game of basketball is known and popular worldwide, and played in various different contexts according to various different rules. For example, basketball is played by children and others using improvised goals and playing surfaces, in various amateur leagues at widely disparate levels of organization and skill, and by highly skilled and compensated professionals. Many other people participate in the sport as spectators of professional and amateur games. Although played in widely different contexts and according to various different rules, the game of basketball has certain essential characteristics, that may be summarized as follows.
Each game of basketball is played on a relatively rigid and hard surfaced, open court using a single spherical resilient ball that may readily be bounced (xe2x80x9cdribbledxe2x80x9d) on the court using a player""s hand. The players are divided into opposing teams comprised of at least one player each, and each team seeks to score points by passing the ball through an elevated goal or xe2x80x9cbasketxe2x80x9d placed at an end of the court. Only one team has possession of the ball at any given time, and only the team in possession of the ball may score a goal. Possession is exchanged by stealing the ball from the team in possession, or after a violation of rules or a goal by the team in possession. The rules prohibit carrying or kicking the ball and taking the ball out of the bounds of the court. The rules also generally prohibit physical contact between players, such as grabbing, tripping, tackling, or body-blocking another player. Players may move the ball about the court by running while dribbling the ball, or by passing to another player. Points are generally scored by throwing the ball into the basket, although a player with sufficient leaping ability can jump up and thrust the ball directly into the basket, thereby performing a xe2x80x9cslam-dunk.xe2x80x9d Within this essential framework, the game of basketball has evolved into a well-developed participatory and spectator sport.
As a spectator sport, much of the appeal of basketball derives from the relatively rapid and continuous flow of the game, the display of athletic ability by individual players, and teamwork among players. The display of athletic ability and teamwork is particularly evident as a team drives the ball towards the basket in preparation for scoring a goal. Feints, spins, timed passes, and high jumps by offensive and defensive players generate great interest and excitement by spectators. Dramatic actions such as slam-dunks and blocked shots are particularly appreciated by a crowd of spectators. However, the extent to which players can create dramatic crowd-pleasing plays is limited by various factors, including the hardness of the surface on which the game is played, the lack of protective equipment worn by the players, and the rules of the game.
The present invention provides a ball game that is similar to basketball, but differs from basketball in several essential characteristics. The game according to the invention is played on a specially constructed game court, features of which are described herein. A round spherical ball like a basketball is used, but the ball may be modified by having a higher coefficient of restitution (i.e., more xe2x80x9cbouncexe2x80x9d) than a regulation basketball. Players may wear protective equipment, such as helmets, kneepads, and elbow pads. Certain essential rules of basketball may be modified, as also described herein. The modified rules, in combination with the specially constructed court and new equipment, provide a game that has value as an interesting new game for entertaining and amusing spectators. In particular, the game according to the invention enhances some of the most crowd-pleasing aspects of basketball, while providing the audience with entirely new types of displays of athletic ability and teamwork that have not previously been available in the context of any game.
According to an aspect of the invention, a special court is provided for the game. The overall court comprises a substantially flat playing surface. The playing surface may be generally rectangular, and may resemble a basketball court in its overall dimensions. At least one elevated goal is present at an end of the court; in other embodiments, two elevated goals may be present at opposite ends of the court. The elevated goal may comprise a regulation goal used in professional basketball, or some other elevated target capable of registering a goal by the game ball. The goal (or each goal, if more than one goal is used) is elevated above the playing surface so that a goal cannot be scored by the players without throwing the ball or leaping upwards from the playing surface.
The playing surface of the special court is generally divided into two substantially co-planar areas having contrasting surface types. A first area has a substantially rigid surface that is sufficiently hard so that players may run over it while dribbling the ball in a manner similar to dribbling in basketball. Preferably, the playing surface of the first area is suspended on springs or other shock-absorbing devices, in a manner similar to floors used for sporting events such as some forms of wrestling and gymnastics. The first area may thus be better able to cushion the fall of players than the traditional hard playing surface of basketball, thereby encouraging players to perform more aggressive or riskier leaps and similar maneuvers. However, a spring-suspended floor will also tend to absorb energy from the game ball. Accordingly, if a spring-suspended floor is used, the coefficient of restitution of the ball is preferably increased to compensate for the energy absorbed by the floor. Using an ordinary basketball, a suitable coefficient of restitution may be achieved by increasing the inflation pressure of the ball. In the alternative, a differently constructed ball may be used.
A second area of the court has a deformable-elastic surface, such as a trampoline surface. The deformable-elastic surface is capable of storing kinetic energy from a falling inelastic body (such as human bodies) and re-directing the stored energy into upward movement of the body, i.e., the surface is energy-restorative. Such surfaces are familiar in the art of trampoline construction. By suitable reacting to the deformable-elastic surface, players may jump substantially higher than is possible from a rigid surface. Preferably, at least one deformable-elastic surface is located generally under and adjacent to each goal. Additional elastic surfaces may be placed at various other locations on the court.
Depending on how the court is constructed, it may be preferable to create a transition zone between the first and second court areas. For example, in an embodiment of the invention, an array of coil springs is used to suspend a membrane or fabric sheet from a frame around the periphery of a hole in the rigid surface, thereby providing a deformable-elastic surface. A relatively narrow transition zone comprising a pad preferably surrounds the sheet to cover the array of coil springs. Players preferably avoid stepping on the pad, which primarily serves to protect players from inadvertently contacting the coil springs.
The rules of the game preferably specify different allowable conduct on the first and second areas of the court. For example, more body contact between the players and a limited number of player bounces may be allowed on the deformable-elastic surface. Such rules generally encourage more dramatic player movements in the second court area and help achieve a more dynamic and fast moving game flow.
In an embodiment of the invention, the periphery of the court is surrounded by a wall. Unlike traditional basketball, there are preferably no sidelines (painted boundaries along the long edges of a rectangular court), and the wall is considered xe2x80x9cin-bounds.xe2x80x9d Therefore, players may use the wall to bounce-pass to another player or back to themselves. The wall may be partially comprised of transparent plastic, similar to the wall used in a hockey arena, and is preferably between about six to twelve feet high. In addition, netting may be strung above the top of the wall to prevent balls (and given the aerial aspects of the game, perhaps even an occasional flying player) from passing into the crowd. The wall and the absence of sidelines eliminate most stoppages in the game due to out-of-bounds violations. In an embodiment of the invention, the baselines (boundaries along the short edges of a rectangular court) are retained. In addition, a padded area may be provided between the wall and baselines to protect players in the event of a fall from the deformable-elastic surfaces. Suitable doors are provided in the wall for entry and exit of players.
The game is modeled according to the essential rules of basketball, with the exception of certain modifications to increase the intensity and excitement of the game, such as, for example, the following. Generally, there is no stoppage of the game on account of rule violations or fouls, and no xe2x80x9cfree throwsxe2x80x9d. Instead, a specified number of points are immediately awarded to the team against whom the foul is committed. Similar to hockey, players may be ejected for specified periods for flagrant fouls, forcing their team to play short-handed during the penalty period. For less flagrant fouls, the offender and the fouled player may face each other in a one-on-one attempt at a goal, analogous to a penalty shot in soccer or hockey. The xe2x80x9cpossession arrowxe2x80x9d is generally not used, and players are permitted to more aggressively wrest the ball from the possession of an opposing player. Body contact is more liberally allowed, particularly in the second court areas having the deformable-elastic surface. Players are not permitted to linger on the deformable-elastic surfaces, such as by permitting only a specified number of bounces on the elastic surface before the player must leave. The game clock is generally not stopped during a period of play, and the xe2x80x9cshot-clockxe2x80x9d period, during which a team in possession of the ball must attempt a goal, is relatively short. Player substitutions are liberally allowed without stoppage of the game. Zone defensive schemes are generally not allowed. Each of the foregoing rules and other like rules may be used, individually or in various combinations, to create a more intense and exciting game in combination with the special game court disclosed herein.
It is further anticipated that certain of the rules described herein may also be adapted to increase the pace and excitement of a game played entirely on a hard, rigid surface, such as on prior art basketball courts. Accordingly, the invention is especially useful for attracting and retaining a loyal audience of spectators, such as, for example, a broadcast audience. Therefore, in an embodiment of the invention, a method for creating a broadcast of a game played on the game court is disclosed.